Caltrain CEO Cashing In While Proposing Transit Cuts

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Cash strapped Caltrain apparently has enough money to pay its CEO the highest salary of any transit boss in the state, according to the San Jose Mercury News. Caltrain chief Mike Scanlon makes $400,668 per year. That's 59% more than the median salary of the CEO's of the state's 23 largest transit operators. It's almost $47,000 more than the state's second-highest-paid transit chief, BART General Manager Dorothy Dugger.

Caltrain is facing a record $30.3 million deficit. Scanlon has proposed closing up to half of the rail line's 32 stations, raising fares, and stopping service during parts of the week to help make up the difference. He has declined to comment on his salary.

Scanlon oversees three Bay Area transit agencies: Caltrain, SamTrans, and the San Mateo County Transportaion Authority. He has held his post as CEO since 1999 and is a 44-year industry veteran. Despite Caltrain's financial issues, Caltrain's board President says Scanlon is the right man to lead the agency.